Virtual Testing of High Lift Systems

摘要

Virtual Testing by means of computer simulations of physical models contains a large potential for the improvement of the verification and certification process of an aircraft's high lift system. Rising system complexity (driven by the need for improved A/C efficiency) on one side and shortened development cycles on the other side lead to the need of an extension of the existing, classical test methods. This is why Airbus High Lift Test Department continuously works since a couple of years on the introduction of Virtual Testing as an additional, equivalent test means besides existing, established physical means of compliance such as Test Rigs (TR) and Real Time Simulators, the so called Functional Integration Benches (FIB). Besides the obvious need for highly representative, reliable and efficient computer models, modelling methods and simulation tools this also requires a corresponding Simulation Data- and Process-Management (SDPM), establishing a completely traceable simulation lifecycle management along the aircraft development. Based on COTS Software (SimManager), the High Lift Test Department has specified and developed the High Lift System Test Portal (HLSVT Portal). This system establishes the link between simulation results and the models that were used for their generation. It also controls the post-processing of simulation results. Furthermore it traces the creation of the used models by capturing model inputs and driving the modelling process. The integration of Virtual Test and its Data- and Process-Management into the overall departmental testing process is assured by an interface to the software that is used in the department for global test planning, coordination and administration, the so called Test Management System. This interface is used for import of the definitions of tests that are to be performed on one side as well as to upload the post-processed simulation results for further system requirement's evaluation in the Test Management System on the other side. By this a complete traceability is established between a system requirement, the data used for its evaluation and the models and processes used to produce this data. The presentation gives an overview of the high lift test department and its activities. It shows the current status of implementation of the HLSVT Portal and gives an outlook on further activities. The presentation focuses on the current realization of efficient conduction of test variations and the corresponding post-processing: The evaluation of simulation results, including flexible, definable key value extraction and plot generation is realized by a combination spreadsheet-like definition of post-processing activities (Excel) and the integration of mathematical software (Matlab) into the HLSVT Portal.